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AMNA -- Greek prime minister Lucas Papademos called on the banks to
assume their responsibilities and mobilise resources in order to spur
the economy, speaking at a conference on "Growth in Greece: SMEs and
Entrepreneurship in the 'Europe 2020' Strategy" organised in Athens on
Friday by the European Commission.

The banks, he said, have the obligation of playing an active role and
assuming their responsibilities, and to act quickly, mobilise available
resources and finance businesses, "and the decisive prerequisite in all
this is the recapitalisation of the banks".

Papademos explained that the reforms and measures contained in the
programme being applied will not have immediate yield and are not expected
to directly impact economic activity but will occur in the long-term and
conversely, in the short-term, they will deepen recession, with adverse
effects on the labour market and entrepreneurship.

He noted that thousands of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs)
have gone out of business in the past two years, stressing that this
course of destruction of the SMEs must be reversed and employment must
be boosted. "If the banks want capital reinforcement, they must finance
the SMEs. If the SMEs want bank credits, they must safeguard employment
and create new jobs".

AMNA -- Greece and the European Agency for the Management of Operational
Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European
Union (Frontex) on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at
better confronting cross-border crime and more efficient surveillance
of the EU's external borders.

He said the Memorandum will further boost the surveillance of the Greek
borders that are also Europe's external borders. "The ministry's goal
is a parallel expansion of the surveillance systems along the entire
Greek-Turkish frontier," he said.

The Memorandum provides for Greece's participation in the electronic
information exchange pilot platform of the European external border
surveillance system (EUROSUR), which is designed to support the Member
States in their efforts to reduce the number of illegal immigrants
entering the European Union by improving their situational awareness at
their external borders and increasing the reaction capability of their
information and border control authorities.

Rasanen noted the substantial progress and positive results that Greece
has presented in dealing with illegal migration and repatriation of
illegal immigrants, adding that Greece is shouldering a heavy burden in
the management of borders and migration flows.

European Commission vice-president and commissioner for industry
and entrepreneurship Antonio Tajani voiced strong support for Greece,
addressing a conference on "Growth in Greece: SMEs and Entrepreneurship
in the 'Europe 2020' Strategy" organised in Athens on Friday by the
European Commission.

He said that Greece is not alone, and that after the period of sacrifices
will come growth. "We cannot imagine Europe without Greece, the euro
without Greece. Everyone in Europe is Greek. I am here to reaffirm the
support for the Greek people and the Greek government and to thank the
Greek people for the sacrifices they are making," Tajani said.

As for what needs to be done, the Commissioner stressed the need to solve
issues of access to financing, to place emphasis on growth, tourism and
boosting exports and research and innovation.

He further proposed the evolution of the European Central Bank (ECB) along
the model of the US central bank, the FED, and also the introduction of
new rules for the Rating Agencies.

At a press conference later, to a question on the upcoming general
elections, Tajani said that "the Greeks are free to choose the political
leadership they prefer. Democracy is always sovereign, and the EU
is steadfastly at Greece's side to assist its course to an exit from
the crisis.

"I have great confidence in Greece that it will come out of the
crisis. Greece is in Europe and we want Greece to stay in Europe. At
this phase Greece is not alone, however we do not interfere in its
internal politics".

To a press question, Tajani said he is personally in favour of the
creation of a United Europe along the model of the USA, with a single
currency, a single policy, single economic policy and a European Central
Bank modeled on the FED.

On the Lisbon strategy, Tajani admitted that the targets were not
achieved but added that they could be attained by 2020 with an updating
of the plan.

On reduction of the labour cost, he said that Greece must make and is
indeed making sacrifices, as other countries are also obliged to make,
adding that these sacrifices were and are necessary. He clarified,
however, that reduction of the labour cost does not mean only salary cuts,
but also reduction of the production costs and employer contributions,
and other elements.

Tajani further emphasised the fact that representatives of the European
industry were in Greece on Friday to discuss cooperation prospects
while, on the sectors in which the growth discussion should focus, he
particularly singled out tourism and agrotourism, noting that growth of
those sectors will bring collaborations in other branches as well.

The target, he added, is to especially boost the SMEs in the tourism
sector, noting that emphasis should be placed on facilitating the tourist
flow from Russia and China.